Chocolate Bunny Recalled Ahead of Easter

Check your Easter basket this weekend! An Easter treat was recalled in March just weeks ahead of the holiday. Wilton Industries recalled its Ready to Build Chocolate Cookie Bunny Hutch Kit because its nutrition label does not properly warn, as required, that the product contains milk. People with a milk allergy or sensitivity to milk could have severe reactions to exposure.

According to a notice published on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration website, the Naperville, Illinois company issued the voluntary recall. The Ready to Build Chocolate Cookie Bunny Hutch Kit’s ingredient list does include “Skim Milk Powder.” However, it does not include the required “Contains Milk” notice. The kits have been distributed to stores across the U.S. for the 2022 Easter season. It was also sold in stories in Colombia. The affected product has the UPC “0070896117274” and the lot numbers 22005, 22006, or 22007. The lot code is printed on the bottom of the box. The kits could also be ordered on Wilton Industries’ website.

Wilton Industries learned of the issue after receiving a customer inquiry. The company did an internal review that confirmed the mistake. No illnesses have been linked to the problem yet. Consumers can contact Wilton Industries for further information by email at productrecall@wilton.com or 1-800-794-5866. Click here to see photos of the product label.

Milk allergy is among the most common food allergies in children, notes the Mayo Clinic. A reaction can happen the moment a person with an allergy consumes milk. Some of the immediate symptoms include hives, wheezing, itching around the lips or mouth, swelling of the lips or throat, coughing, and vomiting. It may take time for some other symptoms to appear, like runny noses, diarrhea, abdominal cramps, watery eyes, and colic in babies. Milk allergy can also cause anaphylaxis, a life-threatening reaction causing narrowed airways. If anaphylaxis happens, medical treatment is required immediately, including an epinephrine shot and a visit to the hospital.

Food manufacturers often recall products due to undeclared allergens. In January, a meat manufacturer recalled nearly 15,000 pounds of beef sticks because the labels didn’t include warnings about containing milk. Abbyland Foods only discovered the issue after it received complaints from customers about cheese in the product. There were no reported illnesses, but the company was concerned consumers would still have the effect in their homes because of its long shelf life.